​Research shows that what we eat has a direct effect on our health. For years, I shrugged off this fact as fake news. Processed food is full of chemicals, dyes, preservatives, and artificial ingredients that our bodies were never designed to consume. I didn’t care. This truth had no impact on my lifestyle at all. For decades, I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, without giving it a single thought.

Then I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. My symptoms became so severe that I turned into a semi-invalid who rarely left the house. I had severe pain in multiple muscles and joints, frequent bouts of spiking pain in my knees, elbows, and feet, pain that increased with changes in the weather, pain so severe it woke me up at night, constant fatigue, difficulty completing even the simplest tasks of daily living, loss of focus, an inability to concentrate, and feelings of hopelessness.

My health was a train wreck. I desperately wanted to get back on track. I scoured cyberspace looking for ways to feel better. I found at least a gazillion (well, it seemed like that many) articles about the relationship between exposure to chemicals and compromised health. One of the most frequent sources of this exposure is from eating processed food that is manufactured with toxic chemical ingredients and additives.

Folks who eat lots of processed food have an increased risk for developing a host of illnesses including fibromyalgia, arthritis, lupus, Sjogren's syndrome, most autoimmune diseases, heart disease, depression, diabetes, and cancer. Why in the world did I eat this garbage for over half a century? Even after I discovered that packaged cookies, candy, soda, and all manner of food like substances in boxes and bags and cans made me sick, why was it so difficult to ditch processed food? These are my top 5 excuses. What are yours?

Lack of Information. For years, I didn’t know about the dangers of eating processed food full of toxic chemicals. In the past, this information was hard to find. Commercial food manufacturers certainly weren’t telling anybody. Now, the truth is everywhere. I logged online, typed keywords into my search engine, and hundreds of articles about the dangers of eating processed food popped up within seconds. I find new info every day in news reports and on social media. I can’t use being uninformed as an excuse anymore.

Habit. I was used to eating processed food. It seemed simpler to keep on eating it than to change my customary food routine. I drank soda and stuffed my mouth with packaged candy, cookies, and chips because it was what I was used to doing. I liked the taste, the convenience, and the familiarity.

Disbelief. Even after I had the information and read every article and book about the harm processed food causes our bodies, I just didn't want to accept that this could be true. I’d rather think there was some other cause for being so sick. I’d rather get a new prescription, pop a pill, find a new doctor, or hope for a miracle cure. It was hard to believe that I possessed the power to improve my health by changing my lifestyle.

False Sense of Trust. I told myself that if an item was available at my local supermarket or nearest big box store, it must be safe to eat. Nothing could be further from the truth. Giant food corporations have only one motivation for producing processed food products. And it is not our well-being. It is profit. Read the book Salt, Sugar, Fat by Michael Moss for an eye-opening look into the murky world of commercially manufactured food.

Unwillingness to Change. Even after I knew the truth and believed the truth, it took a while to decide to change my lifestyle. I didn’t want to give up soda or packaged cookies or convenience foods that come in boxes. I didn’t want to stop eating things I had consumed for years. I didn’t want to completely change the way I eat.​

But I finally summoned up the will and the energy and did it. I ditched processed food little by little. I found appropriate real food substitutes for every manufactured food product I eliminated. I learned which real foods have the most nutrients to rev up my immune system, decrease inflammation, decrease pain, and promote health. I made other lifestyle changes, too. It took me a year to completely overhaul my lifestyle so that I could create a healthier reality.

I’m so glad I did. I have been symptom free from the horrible pain and severe chronic fatigue of fibromyalgia for over 7 years. I am no longer a semi-invalid. I spend my days traveling, writing, camping, playing with my grandchildren, and living each moment filled with joy and gratitude. What about you? Will you make excuses like I did for years? I hope you decide to make lifestyle changes instead. I hope you won’t let processed food full of toxic ingredients rob you of your potential to live a healthy life that is full of hope, promise, and possibilities.

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